^>?,^^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 4 /. o <' C^x -^ I- ^ 1.0 I.I 1.25 V 1131 !!llli6 1.4 20 1.6 % <^ /i ^•m '^1 w/ c^. ^ or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the Ipst page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol —^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. L'exemplaire film^ fut reproduit grdce d la g6n6rosit6 de: La bibliothdque des Archives publiques du Canada Les images suivantes ont 6*i reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettetd de l'exemplaire fiim6, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. 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The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent §tre film6s d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clichd, il est film6 d partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. rata 3 elure, J 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 / LIFE IN CANADA FIFTY YEARS AGO: I PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS AND REMINISCENCES OF A SEXAGENARIAN. BY CANNIFF HAIGHT ' Ah, happy years ! Once more who would not be a boy ? " Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. IKoronti? : ) J I'Ulil.ISHEU BY HUNTER, ROSE & CO. Rftl?£ 30^9 3^-ar9 1 lA IMIKI'ACI:. Vll Lime J IkuI ciccuiiiulatud a ijood deal ut' lualU'r, >su(*li as it was, Imt tli(3 tiioiii^lit of puMic-atioii Ikk.I not tlicu cniorod my mind. (Jiie day, wliilc in conversation witli Dr. Witlu'ow, I mentioned what I liad done, and lie expressed a desiiv to see what I iiad written. The papers were sent h'wn, and in a slioit time lie returned them with a note expressing the pleasure the perusal ot' them had altbnled him, and advising me to submit them to the Canadiaib Moiitldij tor publication. Some- time ai'tervvards T followed his a-lvice. The portion of the [lapers that a])peared in the last-named periodical were favourably received, and i was much gratilied not only by that, but from private letters aftei'wards received from diiferent [):irts of the Dominion, conve\^- ing cx[)ressions of commendation which 1 had certain- ly never anticipated. This is as much as need be said about the origin and first publication of the papers which make up the principal part of this volume. I do not deem it necessary to give any reasons for put- ting them in book form ; l^ut I may say this : the Avhole has been carefully revised, and in its present shape I hope will meet with a hearty welcome from a large number of Canadians. Vlll PllEFACE. In conclusion, I wish to express my thanks to the Hon. J. C. Aikins, Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba, for information he procured for me at the time of \)\ih- lication, and particuhirly to J. C Dent, Es(|., to whom I am g-reatly indebted for many useful hints. ^ t ^4 t, CONTENTS. Dedication PAHE . iii Preface. u fx.4 CHAPTER I. The prose and jwetry of pioneer life in the backwctods— Tlie loc,' liouse — Sugar making— An onien of i^-^nod luck My (Quaker yrand- parents - Tlie old home— Winter eveninj,'H at the fireside- Rural hos[)itality — Aristocracy rcrstts ])eniocracy- School days 1 ''Itat- ing societies in the olden time— xV rural orator clinches the nuil - Cider, sweet and otherwise— Husking in the barn— Hog killing and sausage making Full cloth and corduro'\ AVinter w '.>. and win- ter amusemen*-'- V Canadian skating song 1 CHAPTER II. The round of pioneer life— Game— Night fishing— More details about sugar-making— Sugaring- off— Taking a hand at the old churn— Sheep-washing- -Country girls, then and now— Substance and Sha- dow—" Old Gray" and his eccentricities — Harvest — My early emulation of Peter Paul Rubens— Meeting-houses— Elia on Qua- ker meetings— Variegated autumn landscapes — Logging and (juilt- ing bees— Evening fun - The touching lay of the young woman who sat down to sleep ;iS ■^ CHAPTER III. Progress, material and social— Fondness of the young for dancing- Magisterial nuptials- The charivari Coon-hunting— Catching a tartar— Wild pigeons— The old Dutch houses— Delights of summer and winter contrasted— Stilled voices 71 CONTENTS. CHArTKK IV PAOE Till' cnily -I ttlrv^ ill T't'l 't Cnnadii l^i'ospority. national and indi- viilual 'I'lic dill lionics, ^\itll(^lt and %vitliin -fandle-niaking— Siii:civtiti(ins and ( nuai.s - 'I'lie death-watch Old almanacs- Iiees --'Ihe divining rod- The V. E. Loyalists;- 1 heir ^n{Tt'lings and heroism- An old and a ntw price list—Primitive liorologes - A jannt in one of the conventional " carriages " of olden times -Then and now- A note of warning 85 CHAPTER V. .lefferson's definition (f "' Liberty "—How it was acted npon -The Canadian renaissance— Pnrning political (|iustii>ns in Canada half a century ago Ti( Kinctii ii- Mrs. JaniCMai on Canadian stage coaches— P>atte:(U\ and I )ni ham hoats 121 cHAPTEi; vr. Road-maldng — Weller's line of stages and steamboats — My trip from Hamilton to Niagara- Schools and colleges- Pioneer ^Methodist )ivea(diers Solemnization of matrimony— Literature and libraries - Early newspai)ers— Primitive editoiial articles \U] CHAPTEIJ VIL P)anlcs- - Insurance- Marine — Telegraph companies - Administratifm of Justice ^Milling and manufactures - Pai^id increase of poimla- tiou in cities and tiwus - Ilxcerpts from yVndrew Pickeu Ill) Skk'I'ciif.s or Eakia" History: Early schools and -i luMiluiastcrs -Birth ef the American Pepnblic- Love of ci'Ui'.try— Ad\ entures of_» V. ]]. Luyaiist family ninety years a;;o 'l'!,e w ihh- of Tpper ( 'anaca -Jlay bay irard.-lii[)s uf ])ioneer life -Crctwth of popidation •- Division uf the Canadian Provinces— l■^l^t Erontonac The " dark days "' — Celestial lire- works Eaily stcvxm navigation in Caiia'la The rduntry mereliant re^is The Hare asel the Tortoise 21:1 ^^m CONTENTS. XI Handom Recollections of Eably Days : T'AOE Paternal memories -A visit to the home of my boyhood —The old (^laker meeting-houpe— Flashes of silence- The old burying ground —"To the memoiy of Eliza "--Ghostly experiences-Hiving the Bees— Encounter with a l)ear— Giving " the mitten "—A " bound- ary question "-—Song of the bullfrog— Ring- "Sagacity of animals -Training-days — ricturesf[ue scenery on the Bay of (ininte- John A. Macdonald- A perilous journey — Aunt Jane and Willet Casey 2n3 i' i A OOLtNTRY LIFE IN CANADA F1FT\^ YKAUS AGO. CHAPTEU i. (( 1 calk of dreatiis, * ■^ * * * Fur you HUil 1 are past our .ianoiui^ ciiiya," — Jioineo (iitd Jidiet. TIIR I'JltSH AND I'OKTKY OF ITONKKU LI FK 1 N Til i: I'.AClvWoODS — TilF LO(; IIOUSF, — SlMiAlt M A K INO — AN OMIiV OF GOOD LU«.'K — • MV (,»lJAIvi;i!, (iilANDl'AKKNT.S— TIIK OLD iloMK — WINTER EVEN- IN<;S AT TIIK FlliKSIDK — lUllAli IIOSIMTAIJTV — ARISTOOIIACY Ccrsiis DK.MoCltAt'V — SCHOOL I) A VS — IHOi; V'J'I NKi SOCIE'l'lES IN Tin; oLi)i;\ i'imk — v lm'kal ouatoii clinches the naii — ClhHi;, .SWKET AND OTHLKWISE— II ['SK 1 N( i IN THE IJARN — JIO(i KILLING AXi» SAUSAGi: M \K!N(; — FULLGLOTIl AND (JORILT 1U)Y — WINTER WORK AND WlNriK AMUSEMENTS— A CANADIAN SKATING SONG. '( I WAS horn in tlio Coinis/ij^ of , U[)|)oi'CaiKula, on tlio -ith (liy of Jiiiio, in llu; GiU'ly [)aFb of this pre- sent ceiituiy. I have no lecolleetion of my entry into the worhl, thoui^h I was present when tlie great event occurred; but i have every reason to believe the date L'OUNTUY LTt'E IN CANADA ^iven is correct, for I have it from my mother and lather, who were there at tlie time, and I think my mother had pretty good reason to know all abont it. I was tlie first of tlie family, thoiii^h my parents liad been mari-ied foi" more than five years before J pj'e- sented myself as their lio[)eful lieir, and to demand fi"om them more attention than they anticipated. " Cliil- dren," says the Psalmist, "are an heritage, and he wlio hath his (piiver fnll of tliem shall not be ashamed ; they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." I do not know what effect this liad on my fathei s enemies, if he had any; but later expei'ience li is }ii()vi'«l to me that those who rear a numerous pr()L;\'ii\ l;o tlii'ou;^]) a vast deal of trouble and anxiety. At any rate I made m}" ap[)earance on the stage, and bjgan luy [irifonu- anei' behind the footlights of donit'.^iic blis>. I must liave been a success, foi* I c;dled inrtii a great deal of applanse from M\y parents, and received tluir umlivi- ded attention. But other actors came upon ilie l>ua!"ds in more rapid succession, set thai in a few y* ars tlie quiver of my fatlier was well iilj^d, and he might have met "his iiiemies in the gate." My father, when he married, bought a farm. Of course it was all woods, Such were the o)dy farms >) ^ ^ -» )i '^ h •j I I i FIFTY YEARS AGO. I- i ^ ^ available fur young folk to cominonco life with in those clays. Don] )t.] OSS there was a good deal of romance in it. Love in a cot; the smoke gracefully curling; the wood-pecker tapping, and all that ; very pretty. But alas, in this work-a-day world, particularly the new one upon w^hich my parents then entered, these silver linings were not observed. They had too much of the prose of life. A house was built— a log one, of the Canadian rusolc style then much in vogue, containing one room, and that not very large either; and to this my father brought his young bride. Their outfit consisted, on his part, of a colt a yoke of steers, n couple of sheep, some pia"^, a gun, nii(l an axe. My mother's dot comprised a Iioifr>-, 1.clo .jid chairs, a chest of linen, some dishes, and a few other necessary items with which to begin housekeeping. This will not seem a very lavish set-out for a young couple on the part of parents who were at that time more than usually well- off. But there was a large family on both sides, and the old people tlien thought it the better wa\- to let the young folk try their hand at making a living before they gave them of their abundance. If they succeeded i COUNTRY LIFE IN CANADA tliey wouldn't need mucli, and if they did not, it wuuld come bettor ai'ter a while. My fn,fh(M' was one of a class of yoiin'r inon. not iin- comnion in those days, wlio nossossod onovicy and ac- tivity, Ifc was bound to win. What the old peojdc gave was cheerfully accepted, and he went to work to acquire the necessaries and comforts of life with his own hands. TFc chopixMl his way into the stubborn woo'l. and added lii'Id li» ii ■111. The battle had now been waged for seven or eight years ; an addition had been made to the house ; other small comforts had been added, and the nucleus of future competence fairly es- tablished One of my first recollections is in connection with the small log barn he had built, and which up to that date had not been enlarijvd. lie carried me out one day in his. arms, and put me in a barrel in tluj middle of the lloor. This was covered with loosuucii sheaves of wheat, which he kept turning over with a wooilcn fork, while the oxen and hol'se were driven lound and round me. I did not know what itall meant then, but I afterwards learneil that he was thresh im;'. This was one of the iirst rude scenes in the drama of the early settlers' life to which I was introduced, aul in wliicli 1 I FIFTY YEARS AGO. 5 had to take a more practical part in after years. I took part, also, very early in life, in sugar-making. The sap-1)usli was not very far away from the house, and the sai)-hoiling was nnder the direction of my mother, Avho nuistered all the pots and kettles she could com- mand, and when they were properly suspended over the fire on wooden hooks, she watched them, and rock- ed me in a sap-trough. Father's work consisted in bringing in the sap with two pails, which vv'cre carried by a wooden collar about three feet long, and mad(^ to fit the shoulder, from each end of which were fastened two cords with hooks to receive the bail of the pails, leaving the arms fi'ce except to stea . i ) "if FIFTY YEARS AGO. ^ i.s tliat my undo took my mother, si.stor, and myself away in a sleigh, and wc never returned to the little log house. My father had sold his farm, bought half of his old home, and come to live with his parents. They were Quakers. ^ly grandfather was a short, robust old man, and veiy particular about his personal appearance. Half a century has elapsed since then, but the picture of the old man taking his walks about the place, in his closely-fitting snuft-brovvn cut-away coat, knee-breeches, broad-brimmed hat and silver-headed cane is distinctively fixed in ni}^ memory. He died soon after we took up our residence with him, and th6 number who came from all parts of the country to the funeral w\as a great surprise to me. I could not imagine where so many people came from. The custom prevailed then, and no doubt does still, when a death occurred, to send a messenger, who called at eveiy house for many miles around to give notice of the death, and of when an*! where the interment would take place. My grandmother Wti> a tall, neat, motherly old woman, beloved by everybody. She lived a number of years after her husband's death, and I seem to see her now, sitting at one side of the old fire-place knittin<^ I 8 COUNTRY LIFE IN fANADV She was always knittlni;', and tiirninn' out scores of thick warm socks and mittens for her ^randcliildrcn. At tliis time a great clian'^e liad tnkcn plar-o, Ixitii in the appearance of the country and in tlic (-(nditioii of tlie people. It is true tluit many of th(! first settlers luid ceased from theii- lahours, l)ut there were a i^ood many left — old people now, who were (juietly enjoyini^^ in tlieir declining years, the frnit of their eaily in- dustry. Commodious dwellings had taken the place of the first rude houses. Large frame hains and out- houses had grown out of the small log ones. The foi-est in the immediate neighhourhood had l)een cleared away, and well-tilled fields occupied its place. Coarse and scanty fare had been supplanted hy a rich abundance of all the requisites that go to make home a scene of pleasure and contentment. Altogether a sub- stantial prosperity was apjiarent. A genuine content and a hearty good will, one towards another, existed in all the older parts. The settled part as yet, however', formed only a very narrow belt extending along the bay and lake shores. The great forest lay close at hand in the rear, and the second generation, as iii the case of my father, had only to go a few miles to find it, iwyiww'a m ttmmtn FIFTY YKAfJS AGO. 9 and commence for themselves the laborious struggle of cleaving it away. The old home, as it was called, was always a })lace of attraction, and especially so to the young people, "who Were sure of fiiidiuL'' i-ttod cheer at •••randfatluir's. What fun, after the small place called home, to have the run of a dozen rooms, to haunt the big cellar, with its great heaps of potatoes and vegetables, huge casks of cider, and well-iille . IS home in the smiiiruM', juid I'osuniinij: iny hooks airain in the winter. Soiiietiines I went to the old school lionso np the road, soinotiiiies to tlie one in an opposite direc- tion. The latter was larg-ei', and there was genei-ally a better teacher, l)ut it was nuieli farther, and I had to set oft* early in the cold frosty niorniiii;->s with my books and dinner basket, often throni^h deep snow and drifts. At niLjht I had to i^et home in time to help to feed the cattle and if the school was lai-f^e, a contest between the gii-ls and hoys came oft' fiist. Sometimes two of the best spel- lers were selected by the scholars as leaders, and these would proceed to ' choose sides ; ' that is, one would choose a fellow pupil, who would rise and take his or her place, and then the othei', continuing until the list was exhausted. The preliminaries being completed, the contest began. At first the lower end of the class was dis])()sod of, and as time wore on one after another would make a slip and retii'e, until two or three only were left on either side. Then the struggle became exciting, and scores of eager eyes were fixed on the contestants. With the old hands there was a good deal of fencing, though the teacher usually had a reserve of difficult words to end the fight, which often lasted two or three hours. He failed sometimes, and then it was a drawn battle to be fought on another occasion. Debating classes also met and discussed gi-R\ >) ques- tions, upon 'such old-fashioned subjects ivs these: " Which is the more useful to man, wood or iron ? " " Which affords the greater enjoyment, anticipation or 1 FIFTY YEARS A(U>, 21 il i l»aitifi|»ati()n ?" "Which was tlic •;ioat('i' L,^'iU'ral, WoUiii^toii or Napoleon?" Those vvlio woic to take part ill the (lisenssi(ni were always selected at a pre- vious iiieetin<5^, so that all that had to bo done was to select a chairman and comniencc the deltato. T can give from memory a sam[)le or two of these first at- tempts. " Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : Un- accustomed as I am to i)ublic speaking, I rise to make a few remarks on this all important (piestion — ahem — Mr. President, tins is the first time I ever tried to speak in public, and unaccustomed as I am to — to — ahem. Ladies and Gentlemen, I think our opponents arc altogether wrong in arguing that Napoleon was a greater general than Wellington — ahem — I ask you, Mr. President, did Napoleon vvor thrasli Wellington ? Didn't Wellington always thrash him, Mr. President ? Didn't he whip him at Waterloo and take him prisoner ? and then to say that ho is a greater general than Wel- lington— wl y, Mr. President, he couldn*t liold a candle to him. Ladies and Gentlemen, I say that Napoleon wasn't a match for him at all. Wellington licked him every time — and — ^'■es, licked him every time. I can't think of any more, Mr. President, and I will take my seat, Sir, by saying that I'm sure you will decide in mi 22 COUNTRY LIFE IN CANADA our ffuoiir From the strong argiiinonts our .sido lias produced." After listouino- to such powerful reasoning, some one oftlie oldc si)ectators would ask Mr President to bo al- hjwed to say a few words on some otlier important ({uestion to he debated, and would proceed to air his eloquence and instruct the youth on such a tojnc as this : " Which is the greater evil, a scolding wife or a siuoky chii.'uiey?" After this wise the haran'.-ue would proceed :— '' Mr. President, I have been almost mad a-listening to the debates of these 'ere voun«vsters — they don't know nothing at all about the sul)ject. What do they know about the evil of a scoldin*-- wife ? Wait till they have had one for twenty years, and been hanniiered, and janniied, and slannned, all the while. Wait till they've been scolded because the ba])y cried, because the fire wouldn't buj-n, because the ]'oom was too hot, because the cow kicked ov or the milk, because it rained, because the sun shined, because the hens didn't la,y, because the butter wouldn't come, because the old cat had kittens, because they came too soon for dinner, because they were a minute late — before they talk about the worry of a scolding wife. Why, Mr. President, I'd I'atlier hear the clatter of luimmers , -7 ^' * '\-}» ^^1 [ i mi f FIFTY YEARS AGO. n » :< and stones and twenty tin pans, and nine brass kettles, than the din, din, din, of the tongue of a scolding woman ; yes, sir, I would. To my mind, Mr. Presi- dent, a smoky chimney is no more to be compai-ed to a scoldino' wife than a little nii^ger is to a dark night." 'J'hese n"^eetings were generally well attended, and con- ducted with considerable spirit. If the discussions wore not brilliant, and the young debater often lost the thread (jf his argumeiit — in other words, got things " mixed " — he u'ained eontidcnce, learned to talk in public, a,ntl to take higher llights. Many of our lead* ing public men learned their lirst lessons in the art of public speaking in the country debating school. Apple trees were phinted early by the liay scttlerS) and there were now numerous large orchards of ex* cellent fndt. Pears, plums, cherries, currants and goose- berriei were also connnon. The apple ci'op was gatln ered in Octobei', the best fruit being sent to the cellar for family use during \\ inter, and the rest to the cidei* mill. The cider mills of those days were somcW'.r.f; rUtIo contrivances. The mill proper consisted of two cogged wooden cylinders about fourteen inches in diameter, and perhaps twonty-six inches in length, placed iu an 24 rOUNl'RY LIKK IN CANADA ^ ■ upright position in a frame. The piv(;t of one of these extended upwar